Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

Plot[edit]

Weeks after her assignment at the Miss United States beauty pageant,^[a] FBI agent Gracie Hart’s cover is blown when her newfound fame results in her being recognized while trying to prevent a bank heist. With Gracie too recognizable to perform field work, she is given the choice between a desk job and a new role as a spokesperson for the FBI. After being dumped by her boyfriend, fellow agent Eric Matthews, she accepts the position as the ‘new face of the FBI’. Assigned to work with Gracie is Sam Fuller, a recent transfer from Chicago who has difficulty working with others.


With the help of her new stylist Joel Myers, Gracie begins to embrace her new position, making television appearances and publishing a book about the Miss United States operation. Meanwhile, pageant winner Cheryl Fraser and host Stan Fields are kidnapped by brothers Lou and Karl Steele, who hold the two for ransom. Gracie is tasked with going to Las Vegas, where the kidnappings took place, to hold a press conference. She is accompanied by Joel and Sam, who reluctantly agrees to serve as Gracie’s bodyguard. In Las Vegas, Gracie begins to investigate the kidnappings on her own, against the wishes of bureau chief Walter Collins. She learns that Cheryl and Stan’s limo driver was paid off by a Dolly Parton impersonator to give the kidnappers an opportunity to make their move. Gracie believes she spots the impersonator and apprehends them, only to realize it is the real Dolly Parton. The incident receives considerable media attention, causing a furious Collins to order Gracie and Sam back to New York City.


While reviewing surveillance tapes at the airport, Gracie realizes that the kidnappers were not after Cheryl as originally suspected, but Stan. With the assistance of Vegas-based agent Jeff Foreman, Gracie, Sam, and Joel return to Las Vegas. The four infiltrate the nursing home where Stan’s mother lives, and learn that he has a gambling addiction, suggesting that Stan was kidnapped by loan sharks over his debts. Jeff searches an FBI database to find possible suspects, but is caught by Collins, who once again orders Gracie, Sam, and Joel back to New York. Before leaving the FBI, Gracie sees a ransom video of Cheryl sent by the kidnappers.


At the airport, Gracie and Sam fight, revealing what Sam calls ‘the real Gracie Hart’, rather than the media-friendly image she has become. The two, along with Joel and Jeff, again escape FBI custody and head to the Osiris Drag Club, where the only Dolly Parton impersonator in Las Vegas performs. With Sam impersonating Tina Turner and Gracie and Joel dressed as showgirls, Gracie and Sam perform to 'Proud Mary', earning them access into the club’s dressing room. The Dolly Parton impersonator tells them that Karl Steele, who he worked with at Treasure Island, forced him to make the payment to Cheryl and Stan’s limo driver.


Collins leads an FBI raid on Lou and Karl’s house, only to discover it deserted. Gracie deduces from coded language Cheryl used in the ransom video that she and Stan have been taken to Treasure Island. Once there, she and Sam fight Lou and Karl. Karl reveals that Cheryl and Stan are tied up inside one of the hotel’s pirate ships, which they plan to sink. Gracie rescues Stan and Cheryl, but becomes trapped underwater when her dress becomes pinned beneath a cannon; Sam arrives to save her. Cheryl and Jeff strike up a romance, and Gracie bumps the fame-hungry Collins into the water after he tries to take credit for the rescue. Gracie leaves her spokesperson position to return to field work, with Sam as her new partner.